Chandgi Ram

Master Chandgiram
Master Chandgiram
Born	9 November 1937; Sisai, undivided Punjab, India
Died	29 June 2010 (aged 72); New Delhi, India
Organization	Chandgiram Sports Welfare Charitable Trust
Notable work	Gold Medal (Asian Games 1970, Bankok)
Children	Jagdish Kaliraman Son Deepika Kaliraman Daughter Sonika Kaliraman Daughter
Awards	Arjun Award Padma Shree Awardee
Website	http://masterchandgiram.com

Master Chandgi Ram (9 November 1937 – 29 June 2010) was an Indian soldier and wrestler who won a gold medal at 1970 Asian Games. He received both an Arjuna award and a Padma Shri. He participated in 1972 Summer Olympics. He was born in 1937 in the Hisar district of state of undivided Punjab. He later set up the akhara to train women wrestlers for international events. He was popularly known as Master Chandgi Ram. He died in New Delhi following a cardiac arrest on 29 June 2010. His daughter Deepika Kaliraman & Sonika Kaliraman are first Indian women wrestlers and Sonika Kaliraman was the member of Doha Asian Game's Indian squad. Ram’s children, deepika, Sonika and Jagdish brother and sisters are among the best wrestlers in the nation.^{[citation needed]} His famous pupil is Sanjay Kumar (Old Wrestler) who had won Bharat Kesari many times, and also a gold winner of Commonwealth Games.

The thought of women wrestling in India reminds us of the great wrestler Master Chandgiram. His struggles and contributions to begin women wrestling in India can never be forgotten. When women wrestling was introduced in India, people used to have an absolute negative thinking regarding women wrestling. No one was interested in introducing their daughters in the game of wrestling. At this time it was Master Chandgiram who took the courage to introduce all his three daughters into game of wrestling and promoted it extensively all over the country. His daughter Sonika Kaliraman became the first Indian woman wrestler to receive the most coveted award of Bharat Kesari and represented India in Wrestling in Asiad (Asian Games). Master Chandgiram organized fight competitions in almost every village and city of India as a result of which today Indian women are enthusiastically participating in various wrestling competitions, even in the Olympics.